Materials Engineers Salary
The median pay for a materials engineers in New Mexico is $165,600/year ($79.61/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $127K at the entry level to $204K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.06), which stretches that salary to about $177,950 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,119/month, or 11.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Mexico. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $166K get you in New Mexico?
About materials engineers
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What this looks like in New Mexico
New Mexico sits well above the national pay line for materials engineers, local pay runs about 47% higher than the U.S. median of $113K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,119/month, 11.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, New Mexico offers a genuinely strong financial position for materials engineerss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Mexico
Entry-level materials engineers (10th percentile) start around $127K. Mid-career wages sit at $166K. Top earners bring in $204K or more, a $78K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track materials engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Mexico numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a materials engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Mexico?
Yes — at the median salary of $166K, rent takes 11.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,119/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for materials engineers in New Mexico?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new materials engineers typically earn — is $127K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $7,598/month. At HUD’s $1,119/month FMR, rent would take 15% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is materials engineer a high-paying job in New Mexico?
Local pay is 47% above the national median — $166K here vs. $113K nationally.
How does New Mexico compare to the national average for materials engineers?
New Mexico pays $166K median vs. the U.S. average of $113K — that’s +47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $178K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do materials engineers make in New Mexico?
The median is $165,600 a year, that works out to about $80 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $126,640, and experienced materials engineers can clear $204,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $166K enough to live in New Mexico?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,735/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,119/month, which eats 11.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a materials engineers salary go in New Mexico?
New Mexico has a Regional Price Parity of 93.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median materials engineers salary is worth about $177,950 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do materials engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.